Church Of St Kyneburgha

1. 5141 CASTOR PETERBOROUGH ROAD (north side) Church of St Kyneburgha TL 1298 50/166 15.12.55 GV 2. Dedication, unique in England to Kyneburga daughter of Penda, King of Mercia and founder of Peterborough Abbey, who came to Castor circa 650, and founded a nunnery, traces of which are said to remain in the church. However it is primarily a Norman church with a very important Norman crossing tower, and Norman north and south transpets, nave and chancel. The nave has Perpendicular clerestorey and Norman west window with shafts and below, a curvilinear traceried 3-light window. Norman south doorway possibly reset. Decorated north aisle has 5-light square-headed windows. C13 south aisle has 4-centred arch window and articulated tracery window and lancets in west ends of north and south aisles. Norman south transept with late C13 aisle on east side with Y-traceried windows and south window with geometric tracery. Norman north transept has Y-traceried window in place of Norman window, the left hand jamb and half of arch of which remains. Norman chancel with tympanum-shaped stone above a niche with inscription recording consecration date 1124, above Norman south door. Perpendicular south window, north lancets and Perpendicular 5-light east window. C15 south porch with Norman/Saxon tympanum in gable with figure of Christ. Extremely fine Norman crossing tower in 4 stages divided by corbel tables. Plain first stage, second stage has large 2-light windows with billet surrounds and flanking 2-light arcading, above the arches tile-pattern ashlar, the top bell stage has fine sub-divided arches the outside ones blind, above the arches fish-scale ashlaring. Above the top corbel table a C14 parapet and short broach spire with lucarnes. Interior: the crossing arches have roll mouldings and demi-shafts, and capitals have interlace decoration with leaves, birds and beasts etc and later ribbed vault. Three bay north and south arcades, north arcade is Decorated and has octagonal piers with circular capitals and double-chamfered pointed arches. The south arcade has round piers and capitals with double chamfered round arches. Moulded C15 nave roof with cambered tie-beams. C15 porch roof. C14 south door with inscription in the border "RICHARDUS BEBY RECTOR ECCLECIE DE CASTRE FE(CIT)". C14 wall paintings in north aisle. C14 octagonal font, with modern stem. Small Saxon sculpture in chancel. Base of Saxon cross in north aisle with interlace decoration and dragons, probably originally a Roman altar. Recumbent effigy in chancel is said to be of Virgilius, Rector 1228. RCHM (1) VCH Northants Vol II.

Listing NGR: TL1246898530